PS101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Confirmation Bias, Operational Definition, Falsifiability
Document Summary
Organized system of assumptions and principles to explain a specific set of phenomena and their interrelationships. Statements that attempts to predict or account for a set of phenomena. Precise definition of how you will measure the phenomenon: skepticism. ~ scientists must be willing to doubt what is assumed true. ~ treat new and old conclusions with caution: reliance on empirical evidence. ~ a theory must be backed by empirical evidence (studies, experiments, tests: willingness to make risky predictions". Theory must be stated in way that it can be wrong/refuted/disproved. Tendency to look or only info that confirms one"s own belief: openness. ~ must be willing to share findings, how they developed and tested their ideas. Steps in scientific investigation - 1) form hypothesis 2) select research method and design study: collect data 4) analyze data and draw conclusions 5) report findings. ~ controlled test of hypothesis, researcher manipulates one variable to find effects on another.
